STATUTES, PROCLAMATIONS, RULES, ORDERS, ETC. 349 



hundred Pounds, and the Offender is to remain in Prison till he be 

 discharged by order of the Exchequer, both of the Fine and of the 

 Imprisonment, or discover the Person that set him on work, to the 

 End he may be legally proceeded against. 



******* 



" XV. And forasmuch as it doth appear by daily Experience, That 

 there are great Practices and Combinations between the Importers 

 and Owners of Goods and Merchandizes, and the Seizers and In- 

 formers, with Design and Intent to defraud the Force of the Law, 

 and his Majesty of his Duties and Customs; " (2) Be it enacted by 

 the Authority aforesaid, That no Ship or Ships, Goods, Wares or 

 Merchandize, shall be seized as forfeited, for or by reason of unlaw- 

 ful Importation or Exportation, into or out of this Kingdom of 

 England, Dominion of Wales or Port and Town of Berwick, or any 

 the Ports, Members or Creeks thereunto belonging, or for not Pay- 

 ment of any Customs or Subsidies now due or hereafter to be due and 

 payable to his Majesty, but by the Person or Persons who are or shall 

 be appointed by his Majesty to manage his Customs, or Officers of his 

 Majesty's Customs for the Time being, or such other Person or Per- 

 sons as shall be deputed and authorised thereunto by Warrant from 

 the Lord Treasurer or Under-Treasurer, or by special Commission 

 from his Majesty under the Great or Privy Seal: (3) And if any 

 Seizure shall hereafter be made by any other Person or Persons what- 

 soever for any the Causes aforesaid, such Seizure shall be void and 

 of none Effect; any Statute, Law, Act or Provision to the contrary 

 in any wise notwithstanding. 



XVI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That 

 in every Action, Suit, Indictment, Information or Prosecution, 

 wherein or whereby the Person or Persons which are or shall be ap- 

 pointed by his Majesty for managing his Customs or the Officers of 

 his Majesty's Customs, or any Officer or Officers, Person or Persons 

 authorised by his Majesty to put in Execution the Act of Parlia- 

 ment, For increasing and encouraging of Navigation, their Deputies 

 or Servants, or any others acting in Aid of them, have been, are or 

 shall be sued, indicted, prosecuted or molested, it shall be lawful for 

 all and every the said Persons, their Heirs, Executors and Adminis- 

 trators, to plead the General Issue, and to give this or the aforesaid 

 Acts of Parliament relating to the Customs and Navigation, in Evi- 

 dence, in any of his Majesty's Courts of Justice, or other Courts 

 where the said Matter shall be depending; and the Judges of the 

 said Courts are hereby strictly enjoined and required to admit the 

 same, and to acquit and indemnify them and every of them of and 

 from all such Suits, Indictments, Informations or Prosecutions, for 

 or concerning any matter or thing acted or done in the due and neces- 

 sary Performance and Execution of their respective Trusts and Em- 

 ployments therein. 



XVII. Be it hereby also enacted, for avoiding of fraudulent < 

 positions, That if any Seizure Informer or Officer as aforesaid, shall 

 not prosecute to effect for the bringing to Trial and Condemnation 

 the Ships, Goods and Merchandize by them seized or informed 

 against; That then, and in every such Case, it shall be lawful to or 

 for any of the Person or Persons which are or shall be appointed by 

 his Majesty for managing his Customs, or the Officers of the Cus- 



